Hogwarts, an Introduction
by Syjack
Summary: Remus' little sister starts Hogwarts. What will happen when she finds out about "the marauders" and their pranks, Gryffindor/Slytherin grudge, and the real reason she feels like an outsider in her own family? On short hiatus, outline work I promise.
1. The marauders and Lily

They hurried to find the platform in pure excitement. Platform seven, eight, nine, they were close. Then Remus stopped abruptly in front of a brick wall like column. She skidded to a halt, a little too quickly after him nearly sending her trunk to the ground. "What is it?"

He smiled. "We're here."

She did a double take at the spot and then stared at him. "Here?"

He looked fondly at the place. "Yeah, here." Then he looked over at her. She looked nervous and kind of like, well you did describe it like this, but is this really it? He smiled at her and said, "Do you want to go through with me?"

"Sure."

"Okay, they say if you're nervous they say that you should go at it from a run so-"

"We don't have to run in to it, and besides," she shuffled her feet "I am not nervous."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not"

"Yes you are."

"I am not, stop it."

Mrs. Lupin caught up with them. "Quiet. Now hurry up before you're both late, and we know what trouble that would cause." She eyed them with a knowing look. Alice was silenced but Remus still held the glint in his eye. He pulled his sister over to the wall and positioned them both so that their backs were against the wall.

"Remus?" she whispered very quietly, as he held her elbow to him.

"Yes Alice?"

"Is this safe?"

He whispered back, "You're gonna love it." She smiled and he leaned back and she did too, and they both fell through together. She opened her eyes. All around were smoke and people, families talking and saying goodbye, trunks being put on the train, animals, people running finding friends. She looked all around her, it was just, magical. That's something you don't so much get in America, yes there are witches and wizards, but there are a lot of phonies and people trying to call spirits, and lighting candles and talking to the dead. That was something she wrote Remus about, and sure enough it was bologna. They both had a good laugh over Ouija boards. She turned towards Remus … but he wasn't there. She turned around and really looked hard but she couldn't see him or her mom anywhere, they had just vanished. She started getting worried. She looked up at people trying to ask someone if they knew where they were. None really made eye contact so she just let them by. She was alone in a place she was unfamiliar with. She looked again and again. They had left her. Someone grabbed her shoulder. She turned towards them. It was an older boy. She wanted to shrink into her shell. She could explain and rationalize just about anything, and was a great mediator, but alas had no social skills, none at all. Being forced to move to America after what had happened to Remus when he was five, and she was three, moving away from her parents, her brother, her friends, and to a different country itself, had really not helped matters. Especially moving back after seven years to start at Hogwarts.

The boy looked at her. "Are you lost?"

She squeaked out an answer and he smiled. Suddenly a girl came up to them. "James leave her alone!"

"I was just asking her if she was lost!"

"Sure you were." She rolled her eyes, and then smiled at Alice and stuck out her hand. "Hi, my name is Lily Evans."

Alice looked at the boy and he smiled. She took hold of Lily's hand and shook it meekly. "Alice Lupin."

James' eyes lit up and Lily stared at her. James asked, "I didn't know Lupin had a sister."

Lily glared at him. "Are you looking for him?"

She stared back at them.

"Don't worry, we're not Slytherins."

"I happen to know a nice Slytherin."

"What you mean Snivellus?"

"His name is not Snivellus."

"He's still a great big oily git."

"No he is not!"

"Will you go out with me."

"Not in a lifetime."

"What about two life times?"

"Never in the history of the universe under any circumstances will I, Lily Evans ever for any reason go out with you, James Potter."

He sat there silent for awhile then said, "What if you change your name."

She stormed off and he called after her, "That's good because I like your name." He stared over at Alice who had been just standing there with her cart and her cat watching the whole scene unfold. "I'm gonna marry her someday."She nodded and he smiled. "Come on, let's get your stuff put away and we'll find Remus, okay?"

She smiled wide. "Okay."

He helped her and led her onto the train. He was very nice, and kept talking about his friends, what Hogwarts was going to be like, how awesome it was, what to look out for what to expect, what all of the different Houses were named and what type of people get put into them, all the while ducking his head in and out of compartments. He ducked his head into one and stopped and entered. She stood outside of it, before he poked his head out and grabbed her hand and pulled her and her cat inside. He sat down next to another black haired boy and looked at her, then she sat down on the seat across from him next to some tiny little blonde haired boy. "Hey guys" James nudged the black haired boy towards the girl and the blonde one stared at her.

"Hey." said the dark haired boy. She didn't answer. She was kind of intimidated by all of them, though she did smile at him in response.

The other boy asked, "What's your name?"

She looked at James and he smiled again and laughed. She smirked at this. She was being stupid, they were just people, and they also claimed to be friends of Remus', what harm could there be. She opened up a little bit. "Alice Lupin" and she stuck out her hand. The blonde haired boy shook it, and the two boys besides James just looked at her, then at James. He nodded. "And this," she said and held up her cat in her arms, "Is Diana"

"Why did you name her Diana?"asked the dark haired boy, she just smiled.

The dark haired boy said, "So your Lupin's little sister?"

"Everyone keeps saying that, but I swear I'm past five feet now."

He smiled. "Apologies, you're not little"

"Thank you."

"Though you're a rabbit right?"

"What?"

"Aren't you the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland?"

She kind of stared at him. "Cause my name right? But that would make me Alice wouldn't it, not the rabbit." She kept staring at him when suddenly the compartment door was flung open.

"Guys, I can't find her I think I've lost her."

The dark haired boy cut in, "What you mean you've actually got a date for Hogsmeade?"

"No, my-" but then he stopped and stared at Alice, then looked around at the rest of the people in the compartment. He breathed deeply for a second and then looked back at her. "Mum was going to kill me, I've been looking," then he stopped and looked back around the compartment. "How did you end up in here?" She looked at James and gave him a nod.

"Don't worry Lupin, sit down." Said the dark haired boy.

He sat down next to Alice and said, "So how did this happen."

"Well I was talking to," she looked over at the boy with glasses, and he just kept smiling at her, encouragingly, "To James, and then we put my trunk on the train and came here and I met," she looked over at the two other boys and was suddenly struck by something. She didn't know their names.

They seemed to catch on and the dark haired boy took her hand, "Sorry luv, the name's Sirius Black." She shook his hand and nodded, then turned towards the other boy.

"And I'm Peter, Peter Pettigrew." She nodded as well.

"And you're Wabbit, the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland." Said Sirius Black

She glared at him, "I'm not Wabbit, and his name was the march hare, but most commonly his name is the white rabbit." She smiled, "not Wabbit."

He let out a bark like laughter. "You really are related to ole' Mooney, aren't you?"

She looked rather confused. "Mooney?"

Remus turned towards her and said, "It's what those lot like to call me."

"Oh."

They talked for a little bit, and then everyone just kind of fell silent. Then the compartment door slid open. Lily was there. "Hey Lily, come to apologies for storming off early, don't worry I've already forgiven you."

"Grow up Potter." Then she turned to Alice. "Hey do you want to come to our compartment? It'll be great I promise."

Alice looked at James, then Peter and Sirius, last Remus. Remus said, "You can go wherever you like, or stay here, it's your choice." She looked at James and he nodded. She looked all around and then smiled and nodded to Lily.

Lily turned to go, and just about as Alice was about to walk out of her compartment with Diana, and her pack, full of her school uniform and other stuff she might need on the way over, books and the like, when James grabbed her arm. She looked at him. "Um, I was wondering" She smiled. "Could you, could you just tell me if Lily says anything, alright." The others just laughed, but he paid no attention.

"Uh, of course." She nodded, framed in the doorway, looked around at them, waved goodbye, and left.


	2. Regulus Snape

Alice followed Lily down the train a little ways before Lily entered one of the compartments. Alice walked in. There were two people already in the compartment, and this time Alice was determined to not be so timid. She put her stuff down across from Lily, sat down, and right away faced them and introduced herself. "Hey, I'm Alice Lupin."

"Frank Longbottom."

"Alice Prewett. What's your cat's name?"

"Diana."

"Nice name."

"Thank you."

"So, you're related to Remus." Asked Frank

"Yep, two years difference, though naturally since I'm a first year and he's a third year."

"Any idea of what house you want to be in?" Alice leaned forward. Lily closed the compartment door and sat down.

"Well I don't know. I don't know too much about all of them. Gryffindor sounds nice, but Remus is in Gryffindor, though it's not like I don't want to be in it just because he is, I just want to do what fits best. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff sound nice too, but they just don't stand out to me, though Ravenclaw would be good too I suppose."

Lily said, "What about Slytherin?" Alice's eyes got wider and two boys opened the compartment door. Alice and Frank looked up and Lily smiled at the two boys, got up and hugged them.

"Sev, Reg, where were you? I couldn't find you on the platform."

"We were sorting out some matters but they're fine now." Regulus said and sat down between Alice and Frank, and Severus sat down between Lily and Alice. Severus, Regulus, Alice, and Frank exchanged greetings.

"On the subject of sorting, what are your thoughts on the House of Slytherin?" Severus asked

Alice turned to face him. "Well I just don't think I'd fit in."

"Why not? It's a terrific place, honestly. You'll meet some of the greatest people you'll ever meet in your life in Slytherin." said Regulus.

"Well, I don't know. Besides in a way it isn't even up to me, it's up to the sorting hat really."

Severus' head turned, "Who you are indicates to the hat which house you are to be placed in. Therefore the answer lies in your head as to which house, you belong to."

"Or in your heart of course." added Alice.

"Clearly" Severus finished

"Oh stop picking on Alice, Sev." Lily smiled. "Don't worry though, in some ways what House you're in really doesn't matter. There are good people in all of the Houses. Even Hufflepuff." She joked and winked.

"Watch it Evans, I almost got sorted into Hufflepuff." Alice Prewett said.

"Lily?"

"Yes Frank?"

"What time is it?"

"2:26"

"Damn. We have to go, Prefect duties." Said Frank who motioned to Alice (who made a face), and they left the compartment.

"I'll see you at the feast guys." Lily shouted after them.

Severus once again set his eyes on Alice, who stared plainly back at him. He smiled. "What is the name of your cat?"

"Diana"

"Roman mythology or named after someone else?"

Alice smiled. "Roman mythology."

"Makes sense, with your brother's name." Lily added.

"May I?" asked Regulus gesturing towards the cat.

"Sure." Said Alice, and then Regulus picked up the cat and started to scratch the cat's ear. The cat immediately began to purr. Alice smiled. "Nice, she's never really warmed up to people like that."

"Well, not everyone can be like me."

"So it seems." Said Alice, and she smiled more warmly at him.

"So, tell us, why we have not heard about you before now if your brother goes to Hogwarts."

"Well Remus was kind of busy and he gets sick really often so he doesn't exactly have time to go on and on about his sister right?"

Severus glowered at her, "Your older brother is Remus Lupin."

"Well, yeah. Oh, and I'm Alice by the way, Alice Lupin."

Severus' mouth formed a thin line and it seemed his eyes took on a colder glint to them. Regulus looked carefully at Alice. "Well then it would seem that your brother and my brother are mates."

"Who's your brother?" asked Alice, though she knew almost instantly with the resemblance between the two.

"Sirius, and I'm Regulus Black, that's Severus Snape."Her and Severus acknowledged each other though it seemed almost as if they had already decided they didn't like each other. "Don't mind Severus, sometimes he just gets a little stiff."

Severus glared at Regulus but Regulus just shrugged and started to pet the cat. Lily reached down to her bag and then dug deeper. She frowned and dug a little deeper and then looked around. "What is it Lily?" asked Severus.

"I can't find where I put my quills."

"That's rather unfortunate." Said Regulus.

"Do you want us to help you look." Asked Alice

"No, they're just quills. But still." She shuffled deeper through her bag.

"I'll help you Lily, maybe they fell out in the hallway." Said Severus

"Fine, but I could swear I didn't feel anything drop." She shrugged and they left to look for the missing quills.

Alice turned towards Regulus and her face was slightly red. "Um, Regulus?"

"Yes."

"Um, I mean, I was just wondering if there was anything going on between Lily and Severus. Well they seemed an awful lot closer than anyone else and she kind of stood up for him, and she was the only person he talked to and-" Regulus smiled and shook his head. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just that you're more perceptive than most." She blushed further and looked down at her dangling feet. He smiled and looked straight ahead. "Do you really hate Slytherin?"

Her head shot up. "No! Not at all, I don't hate any house or think less of any house. I just," she averted her gaze from his eye. "I'm just not ambitious or," she struggled on how to say it. "forward enough to be a Slytherin. I'm not that brave either, but I do have some moments where I'm not completely hopeless." She smiled sadly at him.

He stared straight back at her. "You're not hopeless. And you can be as ambitious as you want to be. It doesn't matter your actions on the outside, it's more of what is in your heart."

"Or in your head?" They both smiled

"Clearly." They broke out in laughter.


	3. Meg and Barty

"So your brother is Remus Lupin? I would have thought that he would mention if he had a sister. I haven't even heard anything about you from Sirius," he paused for a minute and looked more closely at her face noting the slight mousiness of blonde brown hair, paler almost sick skin of someone who spends most of their time in books and in doors, and slight timidity but with a face that looked like it had caused some mischief in the past. The eyes seemed almost too innocent, though she had a brow that stated almost plainly that she had a firm head on her shoulders and could take care of herself thank you very much, "though of course Sirius is usually busy, he might have heard of you."

"Oh, no he hasn't." She assured him. Regulus looked confused for a moment, as much as he could, his face looked more with vague interest. "Or hadn't rather. I just met him a minute ago on the train. But it's okay, I hadn't heard that much about him either." She shrugged.

"Interesting, there is a single person in this school who hadn't heard of Sirius. What's even more interesting is that your brother didn't mention him. Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter are all great friends, famous even throughout the school, it's quite remarkable your brother didn't even mention them to you."

'Well it … it's …. I…," She paused and exhaled, "My … I used to live in America actually, for the past, for seven years. I only came back a little over a year ago."

"You lived in America? "

"Yes"

"Why did you move?"

"It wasn't my choice, but I really don't know. Besides, it's not like moving to Bulgaria or something. It wasn't that bad."

"What about Remus? Did he move too?"

"No," she stared down at her skirts and he had the good sense to find the floor particularly interesting. "No, he didn't."

Something substantial banged into the compartment door and rattled it and Alice and Regulus both snapped their heads in the direction of the door. Almost immediately it opened to a girl with dark, reddish brown hair and blue eyes who quickly slammed the door shut and put her back to the door. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Regained her composure, straightened up, and opened her eyes, took one look around the compartment and fell back against the door. "Regulus?"

"Megara, glad you could join us."

"Please don't call me Megara."

"It is your name."

"I like it better when it's Meg. Megara sounds like an exotic nut."

"Would that be anything similar to a _Meg_nut?"

She glared at him and sat across from him and next to Alice. "One day Regulus, one day"

He smirked at her and then turned his attention towards Alice. "Megara this is Alice Lupin."

Megara turned towards Alice and Alice saw a blue crest with a raven on it symbolizing the House of Ravenclaw. Alice held out her hand and Meg shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you Alice Lupin"

"It's nice to meet you too Megara …..?" Alice frowned a bit.

"Craven, Megara Craven."

"Well Miss Craven, what were you so desperately running from a moment ago?"

"Well Mister Black, I wasn't running from anything." She said firmly.

He eyed her suspiciously, "Of course not."

"I wasn't"

"I must have been mistaken then." He sat smiling smugly and Megara pouted a bit and angrily folded her arms across herself.

They all sat in silence for awhile with Meg staring at Regulus and Regulus staring at Meg, and Alice looking between the lot of them wondering how long they've known each other, why Meg hated her name, and what exactly was she running from or not running from. Diana jumped up into Alice's lap at the neglect from Regulus and Alice started to idly scratch Diana's ears, who elicited a soft purring sound.

"I'll bet you're nervous for sorting then?" said Megara

"What? Sorry."

"The sorting; what House you're going to be put into."

"I'm betting, Ravenclaw with how specific she is."

"I don't know Regulus I'm thinking Slytherin." Alice's head turned quickly towards Meg, though her face was expressionless "That's seals it, she's a Gryffindor."

"What? Why?" asked Alice

"Because only a Gryffindor reacts like that to Slytherin." Said Meg

"I'm still putting in my vote for a Ravenclaw." Said Regulus

"Well you're going to be wrong. So Alice, what House do you think you are going to be put into?" asked Meg

Alice had a daunted expression on her face and looked downward, "I don't know, what do you think Diana." Diana rested her head on her front paws and closed her eyes. "Thanks much, you're very helpful, I can see why I keep you around." Diana purred.

"What kind of cat is it?" asked Regulus

"She's a brown tabby kitten plus some other things we're guessing."

"My aunt used to have one of those, how old is she, she looks kind of young."

"She's about two years old. My Aunt and Uncle gave her to me when I came back to England."

"She's cute" said Meg

"Thanks." Then Diana sat up, turned around, flicked her tail, and started nosing into Alice's side bad. "Diana, what's wrong?" Diana kept nudging the bag and Alice looked inside it. "Oh no"

"What is it?" asked Regulus

"My mom mixed up mine and Remus' uniforms, at the least. I have to go check with Remus over stuff and exchange uniforms."

"Okay. Do you want me to walk you down the hall?" asked Meg

"Oh, that's okay. Thanks though, but I think I can make it a few compartments over without too much trouble."

"Are you sure?" asked Regulus

"Yeah, god, it's only a hallway, what's the most that could happen."

"Hexes, jinxes, curses, transfigurations, poisonings, shavings, duels, only your basics." Said Regulus coyly from his seat.

Alice only smiled. "I'll be fine." She took the bag, put it over her shoulder and approached the door. "Take care of my cat." And she left.

She wandered down the hall. Watching as some doors were open to admit friends, some doors were closed with the blinds shut, and prefects were roaming the corridors. Someone opened a door right in front of Alice and Alice stopped just in time to avoid getting hit in the face. "Sorry" Said the door opener, a tiny little wavy dark brown haired girl with dark eyes. "I didn't see you there."

"No problem, no damage done. Sorry to be in the way."

"Oh, okay. Bye."

"Bye"

_Sorry to be in the way_ thought Alice. That's so lame, no wonder you don't have any friends. She walked quietly down the hall watching her feet, and counting the number of steps. Someone ran full force into Alice. "Watch where you're going mudblood." Said a pale faced, straw haired boy with freckles.

"Pardon me." Alice said in a sarcastic tone to the boy who ran into her so rudely than insulted her like it was her fault.

"What did you say?" the boy whirled around.

"I said Pardon Me. I didn't know it was so illegal to be walking in the corridor, my apologies."

The boy smiled wickedly and pulled a wand out of his robe pocket and drew it at Alice. "Oh I don't think you are sorry, but you will be."

"Bartemius!" whispered a quite angry voice from behind Alice. She kept her attentions towards Bartemius and made for her wand. "Leave it girl." Alice kept her hand at her side but didn't reach for her wand.

"Ah, Severus, come to join the fun?"

"There will be no _fun_ here. Leave the girl."

"She insulted me and she-"

Severus moved forward right infront of Bartemius Crouch Junior, though not in the middle of him and Alice, and looked severly into Barty's eyes. "Lower your wand Barty and go to your compartment."

"Fine" He turned to face Alice and tucked his wand away, but his eyes remained steadily on her. "I'll be seeing you again, Miss." He left moving forward towards another compartment and eventually disappeared.

"Miss Lupin. I will advise you in the future to not go picking out fights with students or anyone else, especially Bartemius Crouch Junior, am I clear?" Alice stared up at him concentrating on him but not saying a word. "I will not intervene next time this happens. Some might value it but I have a certain lack of tolerance for bravery, especially the kind that links with stupidity. Watch your back more closely next time. You never know who could be … behind you." With that, he started walking forward to continue his original purposes.

"Thank you Severus" Called Alice behind him. He kept walking.

She walked a few more paces and found her brother's compartment and knocked. The door was opened by Remus. "Alice, what can I do for you?"

"Mom mixed up our uniforms when she sorted clothes out. I have yours, and some other stuff might have gotten mixed up though I doubt it."

"Alright come in, I'll check my bag." He walked into the compartment and Alice followed him, closing the door behind him.

"Well, look who's back." Said James

"And no cat!" said Sirius

"Have no fear, she's being safely guarded."

Remus opened up his back and stuck his head in it, rifling through things, though in a neat manner and moving things aside. "By who? You are more guarding and possessive of that cat than you are with me."

"Yeah well, you can look after yourself sometimes, only sometimes I'm not letting you off of the hook completely just yet. You have to graduate first."

"Lucky me"

"Regulus is guarding her," her eyes flickered over to Sirius, "and Meg, Megara Corvin."

"Oh that's nice, … wait-"

"Regulus! Regulus is watching over your cat?" asked Sirius

"Well yeah, they seem to get along well enough."

"Who's Megara Corvin?" asked Peter

"She's a second year Ravenclaw who is exceptionally smart, friendly, and loyal. I saw her in the library a lot last year." Answered Remus

"I don't remember her." Said James

"She's of medium height, reddish brown hair, blue eyes, and is always hanging out with my brother." Said Sirius

"Oh! Her." Said James

"Oh Remus, I have a question for you." Said Alice

"Yes, what is it?" he said still digging

"What's a Mudblood?"


	4. prejudices and sorting

Everybody in the compartment froze, and all of the faces turned towards Alice. "Where did you hear that word Alice?" asked Remus

Alice put her hands behind her back and stepped back a bit. "Someone said it to me in the corridor."

"What happened Alice?" said Remus

Alice stared at Remus closely and asked again, "What does it mean?" she sat down. Remus was standing, James was sitting across from Alice, Peter was next to her, and Sirius was sitting across from her. She was resolute and would not budge.

Remus sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "Alice, there's something you have to understand about the wizarding world. Although there are many wonderful and great things about it, it still has some of the same problems that other societies have."

"One of them being prejudice." Added James

"Exactly, now, some wizards seem to think …." He paused for a minute trying to think up a way to explain it simply to Alice.

"That just because they are born from pure wizarding families that they are above everyone else and they look down on everyone else because of it. It's based on the belief of blood purity." Said Sirius "Some witches and wizards who come from what they call 'pure blood' families, ones where both parents are pure blooded wizards, believe that blood is important, and that those who aren't pure of blood are lesser people because of it. When someone calls someone else, a …. a-" Sirius paused for a minute.

"Mudblood. Alice it is a very bad word rooted in prejudice. It means filthy blood, it's a derogatory name to call someone of muggle parentage." Said Remus

"But both mom and dad are magical, where does-"

"Some people like to use that word and words like that just to insult people and say that others aren't as good as them." Said James

"But it's all stupid." Said Alice

"Exactly! Most prejudice things are. It's rooted in hate and a desire to not understand and accept other people. Some pure blood families believe that just because they are what they are that it entitles them to magic, and they believe that those who are muggle born don't deserve to be taught it."

"But they're still magical, they still have abilities to use it, why shouldn't they be taught!" said Alice

"You hit the nail on the head Alice. That's what the current headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, believes; that all persons magical, with no care or exception as to who their parents are or if they are of pure blood decent, deserve a magical education." Said Remus, smiling

Alice smiled too "He sounds like a good man."

"He is the greatest wizard in the world. Not only in his magical abilities, but of who he is. If it wasn't for him…" he paused said, then started, "Who called you that name and what happened?"

"Do I have to say?" said Alice

"Yes." voiced Sirius

"Fine then," she said, having some thought that whatever their reactions were going to be, it wasn't going to be pleasant. "Some boy ran into me and called me that, even though it was his fault that he ran into me." She folded up her arms indignantly

"And that's it?" asked Remus, standing over her, questioningly, knowing that she was concealing something in only the way that an elder slightly protective brother can.

"No," said Alice bracing herself for what was to come, "thenhethreatenedmeandpulledhiswandonmebutit'sallokaybecausethenSnape-"

"Pardon?" said James

"Then the boy pulled his wand on me, threatened me, and then Snape came along and told him to scram and then left, no big deal."

"Snape? Snape broke up the duel? I wonder what his motivations are?" voiced James

"We can't be sure he was doing anything, and it wasn't a duel, both wizards have to draw their wands for it to be a duel." Said Remus, reminding James of the fact that his little sister wasn't likely to get into a duel on the first day of school, let alone on the train ride over there, and that she wasn't just someone who picked fights in the halls like other people.

"But I did draw my wand!"

"You what?" asked Remus, somewhat astonished

"I drew my wand, well Snape told me to put it away, but I guess because I drew it that it essentially makes it a duel doesn't-"

"You drew your wand to ….. he could have been really," then Remus froze, "He?"

"Who ran into you in the hallway?" asked Sirius

"This could be bad, what if it was-" said Peter

"Who ran into you?" asked Sirius and he stood up, then signaled to James who did the same. Peter stood up as well.

Alice looked up at all of them wide eyed, knowing they meant business. "Bartemius Crouch Junior-"

"YOU DREW YOUR WAND ON BARTY CROUCH JUNIOR!" said Sirius, "You're only a first year, you're not even started first year, and you drew your wand on Barty Crouch Junior, Alice, he comes from- his dad is the head of the department of magical law enforcement, he's really intelligent, he could have …."

"Just because I'm a first year doesn't make me incapable of defending myself!" said Alice indignantly of someone undermining her and mad that she had been constantly underestimated.

"How bad is it?" asked Remus facing Sirius

Sirius banged his head into the compartment door, paused, and said, "This is going to be Barty Crouch Junior's first year at Hogwarts, he ….. is very intelligent, very into preserving the purity of the wizarding world, and mad." He turned around and faced the rest of the gang, "My mother approves of him."

"Shit" said James. Remus looked at him and then looked over at Alice, James looked guilty and said, "Sorry" to Alice.

Alice looked confused, "For what?" They stood there a minute looking at her. "What?" she asked

"Nothing" said James

"Fine, now that you've all freaked out over what I hear to be a perfectly normal occurrence i.e. a duel, an almost one I remind you, nothing even happened except some jerk calling me a bad name, which was indeed wrong of him but something I'll just have to live through and go on with my life in, so now, if you'll excuse me I'll be getting back to my cat." And with that she moved towards the door. "And you don't need to always spring into action mode to protect me Remus, I can take care of myself." She said and then left the compartment

There was silence for a good minute and then Prongs said, "I thought she was suppose to be timid. You said she was kind of shy and wasn't good around meeting people or making friends." He mused further. "In less than a twenty four hour span she went from being shy at just talking to anyone, to challenging Barty Crouch Junior to a duel." He paused, "I'm impressed."

"Oh this is not good." said Moony, "It was supposed to be a nice quite year. Her first year at Hogwarts, maybe some pranking, some studying, finally get to go to Hogsmeade, grabbing some chocolate from the kitchens, and now …. I have to worry about her challenging other students to duels."

"She challenged Barty Crouch Jr. to a duel." Padfoot said astoundingly, "She's one tuff little wabbit."

"Why do you call her that?" asked Prongs

"Just to mess with her" replied Padfoot,

"Do you think I was over reacting?" asked Moony

"Maybe but it's better than you being the voice of reason all the time with your head stuck in a book."

"There are times, Padfoot, when I want to kill you."

"He seems to have that effect on people." said Prongs

"Did I ever tell either of you what it's like to be an older brother?"

"No." they said in unison

"Guys, it's about time for the food trolley to come."

"Right you are Wormtail." said Padfoot, "Maybe that cute trolley girl will come too."

Alice was walking down the corridors trying to find her way back to Meg and Regulus. "He was completely over reacting, it's not like anybody got hurt or something." She paused and looked around her. She couldn't remember which compartment they were in. She was lost, kind of, again. She wondered around a little bit until she saw the trolley cart. It was getting late and breakfast had been a long time ago. She moved her way over to it and spotted the girl who almost opened the door in her face. "Hello"

"Oh Hello. I just can't resist the pumpkin pasties, they're my favorite." She smiled "I'm Wendy Bunker."

"Alice Lupin. I always had a thing for the chocolate frogs, myself. Though sometimes it doesn't get much better than pumpkin pasties."

"I know right." Then she looked over to her friends, "This is Penelope McCormack, Thomas Burns, Thalia Bones, and Wesley Bolster." They all exchanged greetings with Alice. "Um, if you want to you can join us in our compartment later, I'm sure we'll fit everyone in somehow, there's always room in a compartment right?"

"There always seems to be. First Years?" Alice asked

"Yep, the lost of us, you too?"

"Yes. I'd love to, except I already have a compartment and I'm afraid I've left them alone far too much. But, I'll see you later, right?"

"Yeah, definetly. That is if we all survive the sorting." She said nervously

"Right" replied Alice, "Okay, well, see you later."

"Okay bye"

Alice kept walking down the corridor singing to herself in her head. _I have some friends, I have some friends. _It seemed like the day couldn't get any better. That is if she did survive the sorting. She was starting to get worried about that. Sure a lot of people have survived the sorting and a lot of people don't even think it's an issue, but it's a huge deal. I mean, what if she ended up somewhere where she didn't belong just because she wasn't how she normally is. What if she was scared senseless so the sorting had would think she wasn't very brave and put her into Gryffindor, what if she questioned the sorting hat on its process or asked it a question back or did something that would make it put her into Ravenclaw, what if she said something and it put her into Hufflepuff, what if she wound up in Slytherin? Well what if she did. Why was Slytherin view so badly? She herself didn't even have a firsthand account of all of it. Maybe people were just jealous because Slytherin won at Quidditch a lot or something or got an unfair judgement. Maybe she wanted to be in Slytherin. Or worse yet, what if the sorting wasn't even an issue and what if the lessons were? Maybe she's end up in transfiguration or potions or charms or herbology and would end up completely usesless and have to take remedial lessons. Maybe the so called prior magic wwas just a mistake and she was a squib. They did send her a letter but what if they got it wrong. What if this was all a lie and they had to send her back home. What if because of it her parents had to send her back away to America or maybe even somewhere else like Romania or France, or Turkey, or India, or somewhere else. She would have to pack up and move all over again. Megara was standing outside of their compartment looking worried, and then spotted Alice. Alice ducked behind a compartment door. Why did I do that? She questioned herself. "Alice I saw you. Now I can either come and get you or I can let you come out by yourself. It's your choice."

"Ugh, fine." She approached Meg.

"Why were you hiding?"

"I don't know I guess I just got scared."

"Of What?'

"The sorting and everything. Sometimes I just get a little anxious and nervous and tend to-"

"Become paranoid."

"Yes actually"

"Well we're not out to get you yet. Regulus had to go for a bit, either went looking for you or to check in with some of his friends I'm not sure but the point is that it's getting late and you need to change into your uniform." And with that Meg opened up the compartment door and motioned for Alice to get in.

Alice walked in and was instantly greeted by Diana who wrapped herself around Alice's legs and started purring. Alice bent down and picked up her cat. "I missed you too Di, I know." And she scratched behind her ear and pet her before setting her down on one side of the seats, cautiously looked out of the window and saw only deserted farmland, dark blue sky, and opened her pack with _her _uniform in it. As she changed she wondered, what badge would be on her uniform. Which common room would she be staying in? Who would be in her year or house? Wendy, Meg, or both and what would happen if she did indeed get sorted into Slytherin. At least she would have Regulus. Was she cut out for Gryffindor? She knew had had a touch of bravery at heart, but she didn't feel connected to it, yet she still felt some distance to all of the Houses. It seems as if it was indeed up to the sorting hat now, for she was getting tired of thinking about it. She brought out the chocolate frogs from her bag that she had gotten and opened the door. Meg came in and they both sat down across from each other. They spoke a little bit and then sat back and watched the country side pass as the dark blue sky's clouds eventually formed into rainclouds and let loose their excess water upon the world.


	5. the giant squidthe sorting hat's song

They let time pass, talked a bit, and Alice shared her chocolate frogs with Meg. Once the frogs were opened Diana got that hunting look in her eye and to prevent Diana from snatching one of the frogs Alice opened up a bag of catnip that she had brought with her and started to give some to Diana, who then contented herself to sit next to Alice and be pet a lot. Eventually Regulus came back and they offered him a chocolate frog that they had saved him. "What cards did you get Megara?" asked Regulus

"Well I got one of Morgana, again. But I've always been rather fond of the whole King Arthur legend so I'm keeping her." Megara said, looking knowingly at Regulus. Morgana was one of the cards he didn't have in his collection.

"You are mean, do you know that."

"Only to you." she said and then looked at her cards again. "And I also got Gregory the smarmy, the maker and creator of Gregory's Unctuous Unction, you know, that potion to persuade whoever it is that drinks it that the person who gave it to them is their very best friend they've ever had."

"Well that's not like you at all now is it?" Regulus said. Megara stuck out her tongue at him.

"So Alice, want to share what you got?" asked Meg

Alice was sitting somewhat quietly to the side, next to the window with Diana in her lap mechanically stroking her pet. She turned around to face Meg and Regulus. "What?"

"What chocolate frog cards did you get?" asked Regulus curiously

Alice looked down in her left hand at the cards, "Um, well, I got some druidess called Cli-od-ne, Cliodne. Apparently she was famous for being some pretty irish person, that had three magic birds that sang the sick to sleep and cured them of all of their illnesses. It's rumored that she herself could change into a bird or a wave. Her hobbies included flying and she also discovered what properties moondew has." Alice read off the card. She looked up at the rest of them then added, "Some busy witch."

"Sounds like" said Meg, "Who else did you get?" she asked

"Godric Gryffindor."

Meg and Regulus stiffened up a bit and then both looked at each other then at Alice, who preoccupied herself with looking out of the window. "Well," said Meg finally, "that seems rather ….. fateful."

"Who knows, I mean after all, the last house founder I pulled before I was sorted was Helga Hufflepuff." Said Regulus

"Yeah, but was that _the _last card you pulled before you got sorted?" asked Meg

"Well, uh, … no."

"Oh"

Alice sat silently not joining in the conversation, staring out of the window. Even the bloody chocolate frog card wants me in Gryffindor, she thought. She didn't have anything against Gryffindor but the pressure of getting sorted was starting to wear on her. To be a Gryffindor or not to be Gryffindor? What if she only was thinking about Gryffindor because all she had ever heard about Gryffindor was because her parents were in it? Remus was even in it. What if she would have thought differently about Gryffindor if she would have been born into a family from Slytherin or Hufflepuff. What would she have thought about Ravenclaw? Where the hat placed her had a lot to do with her next seven years at Hogwarts. Maybe even who her friends would be? I mean, if you spend every day with people and are somewhat like minded to them then certainly you're bound to hang out with them more and be friendly more quickly than other Houses right? And if she ended up in Gryffindor then what would happen with Regulus. Also if she was put into Slytherin then what would things be like around Remus? Or even James, Sirius, and Peter. At least Meg would always be there. Would she? What if she ended up in Gryffindor and because of the Gryffindor/Slytherin thing, Regulus didn't hang out with her so much that Meg didn't hang out with her. What if she ended up in Ravenclaw? Would Meg think that Alice was just trailing after her? Then what about Gryffindor? It was the first house she ever really heard of. Alice remembered hearing stories about Gryffindor from all of her family and it sounded really nice. She had even snuck into Remus' room and tried on his Gryffindor tie once. It didn't quite look right on her, but it wasn't her tie. Maybe you formed some kind of special bond with your tie once you got it because it was yours. But that sounds stupid. Maybe it has something to do with magic, she thought.

"Were here." Said Meg, and just as Alice snapped her head out of her thoughts the train began to pull into the station and stopped.

It was dark outside, very dark, black even. Alice grabbed her pack and her cat as Megara and Regulus grabbed their things. They chatted as Alice followed in their wake. As they got out of the compartment they heard the loud sound of someone chanting, "First Years! First Years!"

Alice looked around for who was making the sound and saw a giant man with a big dark brown beard and a lantern make his way through the crowd. She looked around for her brother. She was being nudged in several directions to avoid the push of the crowd. Then she heard someone calling her.

"Oy! Alice." She turned her head around and saw Megara and Regulus a little ways away from her. "Good luck with the sorting, and chill out!" yelled Megara. Regulus waved once and then they turned around.

"Goodbye" she said to them quietly, even though they couldn't hear it and waved.

"Hey!" said a voice behind her, she turned around and stared her brother in the face.

"Hey Remus."

"Alice, I don't think you can take your pack and Diana with you." He said eyeing her stuff

"Oh"

"Well, we've got to hurry up so … how about this I'll take your stuff and your cat and you can go along and I'll give them back to you at the end of the sorting okay?" he said, looking around, watching the crowd dissipate.

She stared up at him, "But what if I'm not in Gryffindor?" she asked, more let slip out, and then she almost covered her mouth.

He looked at her carefully, as if letting it cross for the first time that his sister may not actually be in his House. "Well then, I guess then you won't be in Gryffindor. Either way, you'll still get your stuff okay? We haven't got a lot of time, so …" he reached for her back and carefully picked up Diana, who looked back at Alice sadly. He said goodbye and left.

She watched as her brother went away with her cat and then ran to find the other first years. They were walking away from the direction the other students were going. _Great, I've missed the introduction._ Alice looked around her. She couldn't see Wendy or any of her friends, or that Barty Crouch Junior. She looked around. There must have been about forty students there, all trudging through the grass, well that's plus Hagrid. She remembered when James was leading her through the train that he mentioned a Hagrid. She hadn't said anything but she just thought when he said half-giant that he meant a really tall person. _That's what I get for underestimating the wizarding world, _she thought. Alice looked around her and ran up next to the closest person to her. He was a boy with dark brown hair with a bit of red in it, and green hazel eyes. Alice nudged his shoulder. "Oy" she whispered.

"What?" he whispered back

"Where are we going?"

"Well my dad told me that right before we get sorted there's this thing where we all ride on some little boats across the lake that's here."

"Oh, okay." she said. _Maybe I didn't miss much after all. It would have been pretty cool to talk to Hagrid though, also to start this off on the right foot. Everyone else shows up on time and knows what's going on and I'm trailing behind asking for directions. _

"Oy, what's your name?" he whispered back

"Alice, yours?"

"Nicholas, well Nick"

"Okay" she said and then they noticed that the group ahead had stopped. "I guess they found the boats."

"Yeah, or everyone has just gotten eaten." She laughed.

All of the first years climbed into the boats. Alice ended up in one with Nicholas, a girl named Alexandra who was far too whiney and full of herself for Alice's liking and who didn't even help out with the rowing, another boy named Albert Plympton who looked like the row might eat him, and a girl named Murphy Chapman. Needless to say with five people the boat was a little cramped.

"Ouch you're stepping on my foot." Said Alexandra who sneered at everyone.

"Well, I guess that's what happens if you don't do any of the rowing and take up most of the space." Said Murphy. Alice took an immediate liking to her. Murphy had red frizzy hair that was braided into pigtails and looked like she might have had some teeth missing.

"Agreed" added Alice and her and Murphy shared a smile

"When I get off of this boat I'll-"

Nick rolled his eyes. Alexandra glared at him.

"Will you row faster?" asked Meagan.

"You have more people rowing on your side."

"Come on, I want to make it there first. It'll be fun like a race." said Meagan. Then Nick froze. "What is it now?" asked Meagan.

"Whatever it is it better stay on your side." Alice looked over Alexandra. She had short thick wavy brown hair and what Alexandra referred to as electric blue eyes. She had part of her hair on her left side pinned back with a dark green barrette, and had a stuck up little nose. "What?" Alexandra asked, noticing Alice staring at her.

"Nothing." Said Alice. Then Alice and Murphy both looked over at Nick and saw him looking towards the water. Alice and Murphy looked at each other then down at the water. Murphy clapped her hands to her mouth. "What is it?" Alice asked, trying to look deeper into the lake. Murphy pointed her hand and where she pointed Alice saw the outline of something moving in the lake. "Cool. Maybe it's the giant squid."

"The giant what?" asked Alexandra

"The Giant Squid! Rad! Do you think maybe it'll tip our boat if we shake it?" Then Meagan began rocking the boat from side to side.

"Stop it, do you want to get us in trouble!" shouted Murphy

"Stop it" said Alice

"Idiot! You'll tip the boat." Said Alexandra

"I think that's the idea" Nick said a little petrified as a _GIANT_ tentacle came wooshing over head.

"Neat" said Meagan

"Oh, no" said Murphy. Then the tentacle grabbed onto both Murphy and Alice, smacking them together, and then pulled downward. They grabbed a giant gulp of air before they were pulled downward, and tried kicking and screaming to get loose. Then they were suddenly rushing forward and hit air, and kept going, then were suddenly dropped. Alice and Murphy screamed and then plopped into the Black Lake, the Giant Squid probably done with them. Alice bounced up gasping for air, as Murphy coughed a bit. They wiped the water from their eyes and swam towards the boat. Nicholas and Albert pulled them up, with some help from Meagan. Murphy and Alice were trying to drain the water from their hair.

"Wow, that was cool" said Meagan

"I think it was rather disgusting." said Alexandra, and Alice shook herself like a dog, trying to get some water off. "Stop!" exclaimed Alexandra.

Murphy and Alice just grinned. Once they reached the other side and got out of the boat, Hagrid lead them through the castle and up some steps before they were met by a severe looking teacher with black hair that was pulled back in a bun. She also had rectangle glasses and beady eyes. "Hello, I am Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and your Transfiguration teacher. Now, in a moment, I will be taking you through these doors and into the great hall where you will be sorted. Throughout the year you will sleep in your house dormitory, attend classes with your house, and spend whatever free time you are likely to have in your house common room. Also your house will be awarded points for any good deeds you perform, number of points will be awarded accordingly to those deeds, and points will be taken away for your misbehaviors. At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the house cup. Finally you will remember that first years are not allowed to try out for the quidditch teams. You may try out next year if you wish to play. More rules will follow from the headmaster and Mr. Filch I am sure, you are to mind them." She swept her eyes across the students almost as if sizing them up and then offered a slight smile to them all, "They are ready for us. Let us begin." She opened up the halls to the Great Hall and walked forward. The students followed her and some of them gasped at what they saw. Lit candles floated over head, what seemed like hundreds of them, and the ceiling was not in fact the same as the rest of the room but showed what the sky itself had shown them just before they entered the castle. It was a dark sky, with clouds littered here and there, and some of the stars seemed to wink at them as they passed by. A quarter moon was visible.

Murphy nudged Alice and whispered, "Do you think that they are going to care that we're wet?" Alice laughed.

She then looked around the great hall for her brother. She managed to catch him. He was the farthest table over to the left from where she was. She looked around him but couldn't see her cat. She motioned to him and ran her wrist across her nose like a cat and then raised her hands up to signal asking where her cat was. He shrugged and she glared at him, and he gave her a small smile and looked at her as if to say it's not a problem, I'll talk to you later. She turned around, to look at the hall some more and noticed that they had entered from what seemed to be a side door next to the bigger entrance door to the great hall. She looked up to the front of the hall where all of the teachers were sitting, and right in the middle she spotted Headmaster Dumbledore who was smiling to all of the new students, as if reassuring them that they had nothing to worry about. He caught Alice's eye and she offered up a weak little smile to him and then remembered herself and nodded. He nodded back. Then once Professor McGonagall lined them up in front of the staff table, she walked over towards the edge of the table and picked up a four legged stool with what appeared to be an ancient leather hat.

"I wonder why they don't get a new hat." Said Murphy

"I don't know. Maybe they like that one." She said, all of the first years started whispering about the hat, as did some of the other students.

Then the sorting hat started to move, not only that but sing. "Wicked" said Murphy

Hello there I am the sorting hat,

A pleasure you are to meet

Though truth be told I am the sort

Who likes to meet and greet

Take no fear to walk up here

And I'll put you where you're to be

And if you think you can do it better

Then I'll be the end of me

Though whether you end up in Gryffindor

Where lions in hearts can be hid

They're thick like thieves and daring friends

But chivalrous in their end

Maybe yet in Ravenclaw

No lightweights here can be found

Though it isn't just in the library

You'll find one sitting round

Perhaps you'll end up in Hufflepuff

Now there's a happy lot

Loyal, hard working through and through

Where justice and good times are sought

Maybe you're more for Slytherin

If ambition is more your taste

Where if you're one for getting ahead

You'll meet friends here and be in your place

But though there may be houses four

And all of them different to see

I am sure that you will be happy

Where ever you end up to be

For one house is not better than another

And only together as one

Can all of the houses truly be happy

and all together have fun

But don't be afraid as you step up to see me

I swear to you that I do not bite

I'll look in your heads and then you can go

To join in the feast delights

There was a moment of silence and then applause echoed out through the hall. The first years stood astonished and eager to be sorted, or scared of the hat that had just come to life and sung them a song.

"So that's why they don't get rid of it." said Alice.

A moment was given to let the applause die down and then Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long list in her hand. "When I call your name, you will sit upon the stool, place the hat upon your head, and then once you are sorted join your house." Most of the hall sat in silence as Professor McGonagall adjusted her classes and read the first name off of the list. "Actaeon, Daniel"


	6. The Sorting

The hat settled on his head for a minute then after what seemed to be a few seconds the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR" Then cheers and applause erupted from the table farthest on the right, now that Alice was facing them from the staff table. She saw all of the happy faces and wondered if that was her fate.

Then Professor McGonagall waited for the applause and cheers to die down once again and she read the next name off of the list. "Ambrosia, Meagan"

Murphy nudged Alice. "I wonder where she'll end up?"

"I don't know." Answered Alice "I'm betting Hufflepuff." And they both sniggered.

Meagan sat on the hat swinging her legs back and forth, eyes scanning over the great hall when the hat called out. "HUFFLEPUFF." And Meagan ran over to the applause and cheers of the table next to Gryffindor, the second to last one on the right.

"Wow, maybe you should be the sorting hat one year." Said Murphy

"I only guessed one right, bets on the next one are up though."

McGonagall called out the next name as the students felt a rush of anticipation that it could be theirs. "Arcas, Amina" and a little tiny girl with long sleek black hair and dark eyes, and skin that looked to be of some kind of Spanish decent stepped up to the stool, picked up the hat, sat down, and coolly placed the hat on her head. Her eyes surveyed the Great Hall with a cool expression and calmly took in her environment. Before either Murphy or Alice could guess the hat called out. "SLYTHERIN."

Murphy leaned over to Alice. "So that's the first Slytherin." Alice looked over at Murphy, and then found Regulus out of the crowd. He was clapping along with the rest of the Slytherins to the new addition to their house.

Alice replied, "I guess it is."

"Bathurst, Antiope"

"Well I guess we've made it through one section of the last names. Can't be nothing but a smooth ride from here can it?" asked Alice

"Nope" said Murphy. And Antiope Bathurst placed the sorting hat on her head and waited. A minute later the sorting hat called out. "GRYFFINDOR"

Sadly, after the A's the B last names seemed to move at a dreadful pace. "Bellum, David" shouted McGonagall.

The sorting hat replied, "SLYTHERIN"

"Bolster, Wesley"

"GRYFFINDOR"

"Bones, Thalia"

"GRYFFINDOR"

"Brooks, Margret"

"SLYTHERIN"

"There sure are a lot of Gryffindors and Slytherins aren't there" said Alice

"Yeah but we're not even halfway through with the sorting it looks like, we still have a way to go." Said Murphy

"Brooks, Timothy"

"You think they're related?" asked Alice

"Probably, same last name and the like." Said Murphy

"GRYFFINDOR"

"Ooooooo, if they are having a Gryffindor and a Slytherin in the same family is going to cause a lot of chaos over breaks."

"Yeah but they must have had some idea before now, you think?"

"I dunno, maybe." Replied Murphy before the next name was called.

"Bunker, Wendy"

"Oh it's Wendy!" replied Alice

"Wendy?"

"Yeah, I met her on the train, she was nice."

"I wonder where she'll end up."

"I don't know, let's watch."

Then the hat shouted out, "GRYFFINDOR"

"Another one!" shouted out Murphy. "They'll have at least half of Gryffindor House before they even reach the next set of last names.

"Burns, Malcolm"

"Anything but a Gryffindor or a Slytherin, or else I can't take much more of this." Said Alice

Then the hat shouted out for all the houses and teachers to hear, "HUFFLEPUFF"

"Thank god, I couldn't take another one." Said Alice

"Do you realize that no Ravenclaws have been sorted." Said Murphy

"Yes, that is kind of odd, isn't it?"

"I guess our class isn't very smart." And they chuckled.

"Burns, Thomas"

"Oh, do you think he's related to the Hufflepuff." Asked Murphy

"I don't know, don't think we can assume much at this juncture" replied Alice. Murphy looked over at her use of the word juncture and then they both turned their attention towards the sorting.

"Castilis, Nicholas"

"Oh it's Nick" shouted Murphy and Alice. They both waited in anticipation as their friend sat down on the stool. His sorting seemed to last a little bit long as compared to the previous though they had no way to track time and then finally the sorting hat opened its mouth and then closed it. "Oh, come on!" said Murphy.

Then the sorting hat finally found mercy and shouted out, "RAVENCLAW"

Murphy, Alice, and all of the Ravenclaws cheered for Nicholas. Murphy shouted out for Nick, but he didn't turn around. "Guess he doesn't need us anymore now that he's got his Ravenclaw friends and been sorted." Said Alice

"Chapman, Murphy.'

"You didn't tell me your name was next!" whispered Alice, but Murphy was already stepping up to get sorted. "Figures." Said Alice, who then waited to find out what house Murphy had been sorted into.

"RAVENCLAW"

Alice cheered for Murphy and then watched her go join Nick at the Ravenclaw table. "Oh, it figures. Now I'm going to get left in Hufflepuff or something alone with Meagan Ambrosia." Alice then looked down at her still wet new uniform. _It was the first time I got to wear it too, oh well, at least it will make a good story. _Then she thought back on it, and it was rather hilarious. She smiled.

"Corpus, Demeter"

"RAVENCLAW"

_That was a bit loud mate. I think the inner part of my ear drum didn't burst why don't you give it another go and try to blow the whole thing off. _

"Crouch Junior, Bartemius"

Alice glared as Barty Crouch Junior smugly stepped up to the plate as if it was his right to be sorted. The hat barely even touched his head as it called out, "SLYTHERIN"

_Serves you right_, thought Alice. _You're the type of person that gives Slytherin House a bad name aren't you. I'll just have to keep tabs on you won't I._ She thought and then waited for the next name to be called.

"Cullen, Hugh"

"GRYFFINDOR"

"Everard, Phemius"

_Everard, Phemius! What kind of a name is that. Oh well, fine, I'm sure he's a nice person._

"SLYTHERIN"

_I guess not._ Then she guiltily looked over to Regulus and her face burned red. _No, not all Slytherins are evil, not all Slytherins are evil, not all Slytherins are evil._

"Fidelis, Jodi"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

"Godard, Charles"

_Three guesses what house he ends up in. _

"GRYFFINDOR"

_Knew it._

"Graves, August"

"RAVENCLAW"

"Graves, Eudora"

"SLYTHERIN"

"Hawes, William"

A bony, tall, and awkward little dark blonde haired boy with glasses stepped up to the stool. He looked like a giraffe and was slightly awkward with his tall height. He almost tripped over the stool, then placed the hat on his head.

_He is going to be an interesting one to keep track of through the years. _Alice smiled at him, hoping if he caught her eye she could offer a friendly face to him.

"RAVENCLAW"

Alice cheered hard for him and he smiled wide as he got off of the stool, tripped, placed the hat back on the stool, and made his way over to Ravenclaw table.

"Keigwin, Jennifer"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

_That's refreshing, we haven't had a Hufflepuff in awhile_, Alice commented, then yawned. The sorting was exciting but the morning had started so early and so much had happened it was hard to keep wide eyed for all of it. They still had to make it through the feast.

Professor McGonagall waited for the cheering to stop and then called the next name off of her list. "Lamport, Kurt"

_L! His last name begins with an L! so does mine, I could be next. _All of a sudden her heart started to beat faster. _It's okay just relax there's no need to be nervous, hundreds maybe thousands of students, who are people, in the real world right now have made it through the sorting. Summon up whatever courage you've got. Or whatever else, with no biased towards any house, you can do this. Try to remember all you've looked through in your books, you can do this. What is it going to quiz me on something? I don't know, best be prepared um …. Um…. Um….-._

"RAVENCLAW"

_But I'm not even sorted yet. Oh, it's for, never mind. _Then she cheered on … whatever his name was and braced herself. _As long as I'm not next I can handle this, as long as I'm not next I can handle this, as long as I'm not next I can handle this, _she thought.

"Lupin, Alice"

Then it got quiet again, particularly around the Gryffindor table. _Well here we go. _Alice walked boldly up to the chair, lifted the sorting hat and put it to her side, sat down on the stool, hooked her feet into the chair legs and then put the hat upon her head.

"_Hello Alice Lupin." _

_Alice knit her brow together and then replied, "Hello sorting hat."_

"_So, your brother is Remus Lupin is he not."_

"_Yes, but I'd rather have it taken into account that I am not my brother."_

"_Oh, so you like to carve out your own way in the world."_

"_You mean would I like to be in Slytherin? Just ask me what House I want to be in."_

"_Oh, not Slytherin eh? Well then Miss Lupin, what House do you want to be in?"_

"_I don't know, not Hufflepuff, I guess you're here to tell me, aren't you."_

"_I guess I am. Not Hufflepuff and not Slytherin eh? You could be placed into Hufflepuff you know, loyal, hard worker when you need to be, just, fair, unafraid of toil, you could fit well in Hufflepuff."_

"_I don't know. I just don't want to be in Hufflepuff. I can't explain it. I'm sure it's nice and all but, not for me."_

"_You're a picky one aren't you"_

"_I don't know, it depends I guess. I guess this is kind of an important thing. It could even potentially have an impact on the rest of my life, so I guess you could say it's worth being picky of."_

"_I guess so." Suddenly events of the almost duel with Barty Crouch Junior popped into her head."You're a bold one aren't you?"_

"_I guess you might be able to say that, sometimes. I wasn't to bold right before they called my name."_

"_Only in your head, but outside you looked cool as a cucumber."_

"_Well thank you."_

"_No problem. You do have real courage you're going to need it."_

"_Are you thinking of placing me in Gryffindor?"_

"_I might have been"_

"_Have been? Oh, there's something I wanted to ask you"_

"_Really? It's not often I get asked something."_

"_Yes, how do you sort people, dig into their brains and come out with their true selves and place them there, I mean you must have some practice but how do you do it?"_

"_I don't pull into your brain Miss Lupin."_

"_But that image of me and Barty-"_

"_Was there because you wanted me to see it. To see all about you to accurately sort you, am I right?"_

"_Must cut all of the fun out since you already know you are."_

"_The truth is, I do not react to you and therefore place you, you react to me and based upon your reactions I place you in a house."_

"_That's really genius, us reacting to you instead of you reacting to us. That way you get the full-"_

"RAVENCLAW" the hat shouted for all of everyone to hear.

"_That's not fair, you didn't tell me you were going to do that!" said Alice_

"_No but just in case because you're wondering, you are right on the edge of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, good luck in Ravenclaw, I hope we can continue this chat later."_

"_Me too, thanks"_

And with that Alice Lupin walked to join her fellow Ravenclaws. She stole a glance over at the Gryffindor table and noticed that some of them were cheering for her too. She smiled and was really happy about that. Now she could go through the rest of the sorting in peace.

"That was brilliant, you were up there an awful long time." Said Murphy

"It looked like you were arguing with it or something, it was rather comical" said William

"I was." Then everybody kind of stared at her and Professor McGonagall called out the next name.

"Macalister, Samantha"

"RAVENCLAW"

Samantha trotted over to the Ravenclaw table. Alice and the rest of them stood up and clapped and cheered as raised all kind of hell as Samantha sat at their table. They welcomed her and shook her hand. Alice smiled happily at the people in her table. _We've got a good group we have. _

"McCormack, Penelope"

"RAVENCLAW"

They all stood up and Murphy and Alice and a couple of people chanted RA-VEN-CLAW, RA-VEN-CLAW, RA-VEN-CLAW, as Penelope sat down next to all of them.

"Mentes, Jason"

"RAVENCLAW"

They screamed once more. "Man, we're really pulling them in now aren't we?" asked Alice

"Yeah, maybe the rest of them will all be Ravenclaw, we'll convert the whole school!" said Murphy

"And win the House Cup" shouted Alice

"And the Quidditch Cup" shouted back Murphy. And then they laughed. McGonagall swept her gaze across all of the students and those who caught her eye shut up. The rest caught the hint as well as those around them quieted down and they all sat down and waited for the next name to be called.

"Nott, Alexandra"

Murphy and Alice got really quiet and glared at Alexandra who had her head struck forward and walked up to the sorting hat like it was some brotherhood ceremony, walking stiff, and slow, then up to the stool, turning around to face the crowd, turned back to the stool, picked up the sorting hat, turned to face the school once again, then sat down with the sorting hat on her lap, then took one final look around the school and placed the hat on her head.

"Jesus that took awhile" said Alice

"Yes it sure did" but before Murphy could even finish her sentence, and before the hat even touched her head the sorting hat shouted out,

"SLYTHERIN"

"Figures" said Murphy

Then Alice turned towards Murphy and said shyly because she had been doing it too, "You know, not all Slytherins are evil."

"Really, all I've ever heard about them was from my uncle and he was in Gryffindor."

"Well yeah, me too, but then I met a couple on the train ride and they were pretty nice people."

"Oh yeah, like who?" asked Murphy curiously

"Well there's," she was about to say Snape but couldn't be too sure about him. Could she? Sure he did break up the almost duel, but was he really nice? She would have to see. "There's Regulus Black"

"Black! My Uncle's told me a lot about the Black family and he says that they're one of the biggest pure blood mania families there are, practically think that they're royalty about everyone else."

"Wow, well Regulus seemed really nice, and you can ask Megara about him, she's in Ravenclaw too." And then Alice pointed out Megara to them, Megara saw and winked back slightly before returning her attention towards the sorting.

"She seems nice."

"She is, a little barmy though but nothing too drastic, she's cool." She said and they secretly turned their attention towards the sorting as another name was called.

"Nott, Adam"

"Think that he's Alexandra's brother? Or that they're related?" asked Murphy

"Probably." She said and then her mind began to wander back towards Regulus. He didn't seem that way at all. Or his family- "Sirius isn't bad."

"What?" they whispered

"Sirius Black, Regulus' brother, and he's a Black"

"Well yeah, but he's in Gryffindor. Besides my Uncle told me that he's quite different from his family." Then Murphy leaned closer to Alice and put her hand to Alice's ear. "He's the only one among them who wasn't sorted into Slytherin for ages, maybe even ever. His parents were furious about it."

"Oh" said Alice, and then looked up to where Adam Nott was being sorted.

"SLYTHERIN"

Alice's face fell. "See." whispered Murphy. Then they sat through the sorting more quietly trying to pay more attention to those that were getting sorted and what was going on, especially as they were starting to get looks from people as if they were chatting at the Theater.

"Odgen, John"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

"Pellyn, Amy"

"SLYTHERIN"

_Could It really be true about Regulus? _Alice wondered. She couldn't keep her mind from it throughout the rest of the ceremony. _But even Diana liked him, and she doesn't like people right off the bat. _

"Philips, McKenzie "

"GRYFFINDOR"

"Plympton, Albert"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

_Makes sense, out of all the things that do, at least Plympton, Albert is in Hufflepuff._

"Price, Edward"

"GRYFFINDOR"

Alice looked over to the Gryffindor table where everyone was cheering for Edward Price. _I'm never going to be any part of Gryffindor am I? _Suddenly she felt sad that she had ended up in Ravenclaw. Her mom and her dad and Remus were all in Gryffindor. She wasn't, and would never be. She saw Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter all clapping and cheering, whistling even for Edward Price. _That's never going to be me. _Then Murphy nudged her. "Ouch."

"Sorry"

"No problem"

"Hey are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know" said Murphy but she still held a somewhat suspicious eye to Alice, who turned back to watch the rest of the sorting.

"Rowena, Sally" shouted Professor McGonagall

"Well if she doesn't end up in Ravenclaw with a last name like that, then I'm a blubbering humdinger's second cousin twice removed." Said Nick

"A what?" questioned Alice, who looked as if Nick had just chanted Hindi to her at a knighting of pigs.

"Nothing" he smiled and then turned towards the sorting.

Murphy whispered in her ear "Apparently Sally is a great something or other descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw the founder of Ravenclaw House and her mum's betting on Sally's sorting this year to prove it."

"But that doesn't prove anything. She could end up in Hufflepuff and still be the great grand niece, whatever of Rowena Ravenclaw."

"Yeah, try telling that to her mum."

"HUFFLEPUFF"

The girl looked like she was going to have a heart attack but then walked over to her table. Alice and Murphy were silent.

"Sweet, Barnabas"

"SLYTHERIN"

"Thornwood, Brian"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

One student was left to be sorted. "That's got to be hell being the last one. I mean L is somewhere near the front middle and I was nervous, she must be petrified." Said Alice

"Yule, Rhea"

"Aawww she has a pretty last name." said Murphy

"That she does." Said Alice

"HUFFLEPUFF"

The final shouts and cheers rang out from the sorting, and Rhea Yule ran over to the Hufflepuff table. Once the celebration quieted all were silent, and Albus Dumbledore got up to speak. "Another year starts at Hogwarts, just as one ended prior to term. To start things off I'd like to say, for now, welcome, welcome back, and dig in."


	7. Ravenclaw and Regrets?

Disclaimer: I would like to thank the Harry Potter lexicon because I would be knee deep in high water and constantly searching through pages what I can find there in an instant. So thanks there. Also that I got the riddle from this website which I lost the url but hope to eventually post, and finally that of course I am not J.K., no matter how much I might wish to be.

**please review. I have low self-esteem, like everyone else on ff.**

As Dumbledore finished his quick welcome the empty plates, platters, and goblets all filled with the most amazing, delicious, and mouth watering food imaginable. Platters with chicken, sausage, soups, currys, potatoes, steak, rice, fish, salads, cauliflower, asparagus, puddings, pies, cakes and candies.

Gasps and other exclamations were emited from some of the students, mostly the first years and after a second of appreciation of what was laid out on the table all at once the students started to take Headmaster Dumbledore's advice and dig in. Plate all loaded up Alice looked around her.

"I don't think I've ever seen all of this much food ever before in my entire life." Said Murphy, which was immediately seconded by the majority of the Ravenclaw first years.

"I feel full just looking at it." said Alice

"I feel hungry" added Nick

"It's very nice but I really wish we could go to the common room, I can't wait to see it." said William, and Alice turned towards him.

"I know what you mean though. I can't wait to settle in and set up shop. Put all of my stuff up."

"I can't wait to go to sleep. I'm sure it is quite amazing but it seems like the morning was ages ago" added a quite little Penelope McCormack. She was a tiny little girl, with a very slight build. Her hair, and Alice could only assume that it must be long because Penelope had it tied back into some kind of bun that looked somewhat even larger than it normally should. Were buns really that big? She wondered.

Murphy had been eating and Alice looked down at her plate piled high with sausages, steak, salad, cauliflower, a little bit of everything, and pie, and although she couldn't blame Penelope for wanting some sleep, sleep could wait.

"I wonder when we're going to find out what classes we've got" said Samantha Macalister, a somewhat tall girl with long black hair that reached the seat, and almost seemed to dwarf her.

"Probably tomorrow or something right? I mean as lovely as everything's been I've got the feeling that we're going to get straight to classes instead of having like a week to just chat and walk around the school." Then she paused. "That would be brilliant though, I bet an old castle has got hundreds of little nooks and crannies and secrets and stuff just waiting to be found."

"Though you'll get that during school time, won't you?" said William

"I just hope that my dad and mum were over doing it when they told me about the stairs here." Said Nick

"What do you mean?" asked Murphy

"Well my dad says," then Nick leaned in closer, "that there's this major section of staircases where that's all there is stairs."

"That's interesting" remarked August Graves. They all turned to face him. "Well what's the big deal, it's just a load of tons of stairs?"

"No." Nick jumped in "The stairs, they like, move and stuff. I hear some take you different places different days, and some even suck your feet into them and won't let go."

"Shieks!" said Alice

"What?" asked William

Then Alice kind of looked down at her plate and started to sway her feet. "Shieks, I guess I picked it up from Mr. Ollivander, you know, the wand maker and all that. He said shieks when I was in his store."

"Well, I think that that Mr. Ollivander is the slightest bit mad. I mean did you look at him, when I got my wand he started to ramble and he must have been out of his mind." said Demeter Corpus, not looking at anyone. She had olive skin and long dark hair, with cold eyes. "Kind of like Headmaster Dumbledore." Then she smiled

"I think Dumbledore's genius." Said Alice, defending her headmaster.

"Yeah, but you have to admit that he's a bit wooly though don't you?" added a quiet boy who had yet to speak up. He seemed to be holding a book in his hand and somehow managed to sneak it through the sorting. Not that it was illegal or anything, just seemed like you had nowhere to put a book.

"What's your name? I don't really remember from the sorting." Said Demeter, coolly.

"Kurt Lamport" Then he basically stuffed his head inside of his book.

"What are you reading?" asked William. Kurt merely lifted up the cover of his book without taking his eyes off of its pages to show William.

Murphy nudged Alice in the ribs. "Ouch what?" Alice whispered to Murphy

Murphy put her hand up to Alice's ear and whispered back, "See that boy over there." And Murphy looked in the direction of the boy and Alice followed her gaze. In the middle of the Ravenclaw first years sat on first year who hadn't opened his mouth or said a word to anybody the entire time. He was a very strange looking kid with white blonde hair that hung down to his ears and dark navy blue eyes. He seemed to almost be invisible, but not small, he was a fair sized kid for his age. "I wonder who he is." Whispered Murphy.

Alice leant behind the bench, "Oy! Nick"

Nick leaned back, and they moved towards each other. "What?" he whispered back.

"Do you know who that kid is in the middle of everybody who hasn't said a word?" Nick sat up properly in his chair, scanned the table, then leaned back again.

"That's Jason Mentes. I saw him on the compartment. He's really shy but he's pretty cool. He's not much of a talker though."

"Doesn't seem like it. Thanks Nick."

"You're welcome." Then they both leaned forward and joined the group again.

Alice leaned over to Murphy and whispered in her ear. "His name is Jason Mentes, and Nick said that he's pretty cool and that he just doesn't talk a lot." Murphy nodded and then they got back to the feast. Everybody was finishing eating and feeling pretty sleepy and comfortable, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up once more.

"As I said before, welcome, and welcome back. Now that we are done with our most excellent feast, I am afraid we have some rules we must tend to. Firstly, the Forbidden forest is completely forbidden to all students, as it contains within some truly dangerous although fascinating creature." Alice was starting to drift off to sleep but was doing her best to stay awake. It also helped that professor Dumbledore had a very captivating voice. "Also, in the common rooms a list will be posted as to when the quidditch try outs for this year will be held for each house, and as well as a list of unacceptable contraband items from our caretaker Mr. Filch. No student is to be out of bed past curfew. I am sure this will be a wonderful year. We have a slight change of staff. I'm afraid as many of you well know our previous Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Madam Pericula felt the need to run out of the building never to be seen again during the end of term, we have a new Defense teacher this year. Everyone please welcome Professor Mortis." Loud applause were given to the new professor. "Now I am sure you are all tired and ready for a good long nights sleep to prepare you for tomorrow's start to classes, so to all of you I say good luck. Prefects are to lead your house members to your common rooms." Then Dumbledore smiled at all of the students and dismissed the staff table, the students followed.

The first years followed their prefect out of the entrance hall and further into the castle. When they reach the stair cases that Nick had told them about they looked up at the swirling steps mystically and with reverence and intrigue. The climbed up and up the stair cases. Once they had climbed five flights of stairs the prefect lead them up a tightly wound staircase and then stopped at the top where a huge bronze knocker sat in the form of an eagle. The prefect addressed the group. "Now, to get into our common room area, instead of what other houses have, a password, we instead have this." And the prefect pointed to the knocker. "If you knock," the prefect did just so, "you will be asked a riddle, and you cannot enter the common room unless you solve the riddle. Also if you do not answer the riddle, then you have to wait for someone else to come along to solve it."

The eagle knocker came to life, and the eagle addressed the prefect. "Always wax, yet always wane: I melt, succumbéd to the flame. Lighting darkness, with fate unblest, I soon devolve to shapeless mess"

The prefect responded quickly, "easy, a candle" and the door opened. Blue and bronze hangings filled the room. The floor itself seemed to be an enormous dark blue carpet that had stars twinkling in it, specked here and there. The room itself, being circular had bookshelves in the back and was very wide and airy. The ceiling itself seemed to reflect the carpet as it was painted beautifully as the night sky and had stars doting it here and there. Coming out from the bookcase were tables and chairs. There were wide and large windows that gave a stunning view of the surrounding mountains. There was a little door in the very back which had next to it a marble statue of an elegant lady wearing a tiara.

"Now, through that door back there are the dorms. Girls dorms are to the right and boys dorms are to the left. I am sure you will find all of your things there, goodnight." And with that they moved to the door and the girls departed from the boys and the boys the girls. They said goodbye to Nick and William and everyone and then headed to the room which had listed on it, 1st years.

Most of the dorm was covered in blue. There was a blue rug, blue ceiling, the pillow cases were blue, the comforters were blue with little bits of bronze beads in them. The sheets were thin little vertical stripes of blue and bronze. In the middle there was a small copper furnace for warmth and a small table near the wall for each person The beds were in the bunk fashion. In the middle of the room was a medium sized table for common use purposes. Their trunks had even been placed in here already.

"Wow this is brilliant" said Samantha, who along with Murphy, Demeter, Alice, and Penelope, were admiring the room.

Alice looked around and then whispered in Murphy's ear, "Go for the second bunk on the right, I call bottom."

Murphy discretely whispered back, "Good, I like top bunk."

Then all of the girls looked at each other and sprinted. It seemed as if Samantha was heading for the same bed as Murphy and Alice were and they sprinted but it looked like Sam was going to reach there first when she stopped and said, "Whose cat is that."

Alice just beat Sam there when she screamed, "DIANA!" Alice saw her cat lazily cuddled up on the bottom bunk of in the very bed that Alice wanted. Alice reached out to her and took her in her arms and cuddled her up.

Murphy assaulted the ladder before anyone else could reach it and climbed up to her bunk and shouted, "Mine." Murphy looked around the room and noticed that out of the four bunk beds, her and Alice were partnered, and everyone else choose to have their own bunk to themselves. Once the girls claimed their bunks, they all ventured out to the middle and claimed their trunks.

"That one's mine"

"Sorry"

"Oops, no its not"

"There it is"

"I wonder if-"

"Do you think my stuff's okay-"

"-anything got damaged, because"

"Has anyone seen my-"

"I'm still missing my pack"

"What am I going to do if anything got-"

"My grandma sent me cookies anyone want some-"

"You're stepping on my pack strap"

"I would love one!"

"Oh Sorry"

"No problem"

"Wow these are really good."

"I guess we're not a very desirable lot, or are kind of unpopular this year." said Samantha, noting the number of empty bunks. Demeter was already working on settling in for the night and doing her beauty routine. Penelope was unpacking her trunk.

Alice was sitting on her bed when she looked around and saw little curtain walls that you could slid over your bed in case you wanted privacy. She also looked over towards the desks and saw little blue and bronze scarf's and ties waiting for them. Then she turned her head and saw two upside down red braids, and the upside down face that they belonged to. "This is so cool." said Murphy. Alice agreed and then the sleep that she had prolonged seemed to hit her.

"You know Murphy, I think that I'm going to go to sleep now, I'm kind of tired."

"Oh, okay." Murphy said kind of dejectedly

"I mean we can still talk tomorrow and stuff, It's just been a long day."

Murphy yawned, then that made Alice yawn. "I guess you're right. Well I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Oh. Murphy!"

"Yeah"

"Wouldn't it be cool if we organized some kind of thing where I can pass things up to you and you can pass notes down to me and then we can send this up and down and stuff."

"I don't know. Maybe" said Murphy tired. They both undid their shoes and let them drop down to the floor, and soon two cloaks followed. Then they shut their respective curtains and changed. Alice took off the small ring her aunt and uncle had given her and opened her curtain and reached over to put it in her cloak pocket. She felt something else in there. She left the ring, and pulled out what had taken up the space.

"Oh, my chocolate frog cards .." Alice said, turning over Cliodne, and looking straight into the face of Godric Gryffindor, the founder she used to hero worship.

"Oh what did you get?" asked Murphy as she leaned over the top bunk.

Alice discretely walked over to her own bed and hid the faces on the cards, "Nobody I haven't gotten before." She replied

"Okay then" and Murphy retreated to her bed.

Alice then curled up on her bed, and eventually fell asleep with the card of Godric Gryffindor in her hand and Diana curled up at her side.


	8. separating ties

Disclaimer: Not, J.K. but the obvious usually is. The others; Riddle inside is taken from /all-kinds-of-riddles/riddles/out-in-the-rain-1999113034/ if anyone is unhappy about it, I'll change it. Also just wanted to say how much I love the Harry Potter Lexicon, it's like Christmas in a website. Also I know it's been awhile since I've updated but thank you so much for the review, it really made my day.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey, little Alice is a little lazy." A chorus of one chanted.

Someone moaned from waking up. "Alice …… Alice! Would you get up already!" someone shouted. She felt a nudge.

"Five more minutes I promise."

"We gave you five more minutes, it's breakfast time." She groaned.

"Please"

"No"

"Fine!" Then Alice stretched out like a cat, rubbed her face into her pillow, and tried very hard to open her eyes. After a minute she blinked, let her eyes get accustomed to being awake and then looked around her. Demeter and Penelope had already gone off to breakfast and Samantha was about to head out the door. Alice looked up at Murphy, who had her robes on like Samantha.

"Rise and shine, now get dressed and we'll go downstairs." Said Murphy, who nodded to Alice's clothes on her side table, then turned around and sat at the middle table.

"Oh, that's okay, you don't have to wait for me."

"It's no worry I can just-"

"No you should go, get some breakfast," Murphy curiously eyed Alice, why she want her company, "Okay….?" Alice asked

"Fine, I'll see you down there" Said Murphy dejectedly then turned her heel to leave.

"But I'll see you down there okay?"

"Sure" Murphy said as she turned to face Alice and then left.

Alice looked around at the now empty dorm room. _Alone again, or maybe alone at last, _she wasn't sure which one and didn't rightly know which one she'd be pleased with. Now that she thought about it, she survived the sorting. The first day had been conquered. _Now it's only the lessons that are left and the end of the year tests, maybe even a bit of fun time. _Then she remembered Murphy's turned back leaving the dorm, at her request. _Well hopefully there will be fun time. _Then she looked around for Diana, who was nowhere to be found. _Even you've deserted me. _She smiled and shook her head. She turned towards the side desk to her bed, and there neatly was laid her school uniform. The blue and bronze tie and scarf stuck out. So did the badge mysteriously placed on her cloak. "Oh well, there's nothing more I can do about it." She said, then she looked around and really admired the room for what it was. The beautiful warm wood against the blue sheets and covers, the bare walls shortly to be filled with something or other hanging on them, memories made, and friendships to be formed. _Now I just sound pathetic. _Then she remembered something. _TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES! _She rushed over to the side table, changed out of her pajamas, changed into her uniform, skirt, tie, and all. Considered whether to wear her cloak, then remembered that her wand was in there and she better run and she grabbed it, felt her wand inside, and flew out the door.

Diana's tail flicked from under the bed, then the tabby pranced out from under, gave her legs a little shake, then lunged up onto the bed, walked around a bit and clawing slightly at the sheets before walking in a circle around the pillow, curling up on it, and then purring contently.

Alice rushed down the stairs, out of the common room, down a flight of steps, then the second flight she walked down changed course, she surveyed the staircases and their directions, then ran down another flight of stairs before she was jerked backwards, her foot caught on something. She looked down and saw her foot encased in the stair. "Oh, bloody perfect." She said, then tried to wiggle her foot to freedom. It would not budge. She breathed in deep, then tried again. Nothing happened.

"Looks like you have gotten stuck."

"A wonderful start to day one" She looked around then back at him, then around the staircases. "please don't make me ask"

He chuckled and then pulled out his wand, "Fine I'll be merciful to the lady fair." He said then said a spell and her leg shot up out of the stair case. "You know you're going to miss breakfast at this rate." Said Remus

"I know, I know. I had a late start on waking up now the whole day is just going downhill." She said looking down at her feet, now both firmly planted two steps below the mean step that had snatched her feet.

"No, it'll be good, anyway you better hurry along or you'll miss breakfast." He said

"Fine. Wait, what about you, don't you need to eat breakfast too?"

The he looked a little shifty and avoided her eyes as he said, "Well, I uh, I have some things that require my … attention. I'll see you later okay?"

"Okay Remus" she said with a bemused little expression, then they parted ways, Remus taking a turn towards another staircase, and Alice heading towards the great hall, trying to remember how they came through this way when they left the great hall to recount her footsteps.

"And congratulations on being sorted into Ravenclaw!" Remus said after her.

She turned to look for him but found nothing there where he had been, he had already ran off. "Thanks" she said to nobody and made her way down to the hall. She saw all of the tables lined up and then caught her own one of blue and bronze. She walked over to the table, eyed it up and down then caught sight of Murphy, Samantha, Nick, William, Penelope, and everybody and she looked around them. There was no open seat near them. Her face fell. She looked on at the scene as they all chatted pleasantly to one another, none of them probably even noticing her absence. _Here we go again, _she thought to herself and then took up a seat at an almost empty part of the table. There was a boy sitting across from her with his head in a book, and to her right two people were facing one another exclusively. _This bites._ Then she looked around the table which was laden with everything she could ever possibly want. She took some oatmeal, a bit of toast, bacon, some fruit, and a lot of orange juice and then settled down. She looked around her and then stared at her plate and began to eat. She picked at her oatmeal, had a few bits of toast, and some fruit. Everything was delicious. She looked around once again, wondering how the schedules were getting out and if she missed them. _Probably did. Wonder what will happen when I don't show up to my first class because I don't know what it is. _She smiled slightly and then took a few more bits of her bacon, then some toast and more fruit, then a large gulp of orange juice. _Or where it is, _she thought_._ Then a light hand tapped her shoulder. She looked around then seeing no one she looked down.

"Hello dear, Miss … Lupin, ah yes. Congratulations on being sorted into Ravenclaw, I am your Head of House, Professor Flitwick and I have your schedule here for you my dear." Then the short little Professor Flitwick handed her a bit of parchment.

"Thank you Professor." She waited politely for him to leave before her eyes devoured the piece of paper for the information contained therein.

"You're welcome" then he moved on to the next set of students. She smiled, he was nice. Her eyes gazed of their own accord over to the Gryffindor table where Professor McGonagall was doing the same for her house. Alice felt a little pang. She would not have Professor McGonagall for Head of House. Professor McGonagall would be nothing more to her than her transfiguration teacher. She had heard tales of the almost legendary Professor and once again was reminded of where the sorting hat placed her. It hadn't even considered her for Gryffindor. She then looked down at her schedule.

Monday:

Defense Against the Dark Arts (with the Slytherins)

Charms (Hufflepuffs)

Lunch

Herbology (Hufflepuffs)

Afternoon free (_homework most likely_)

Dinner

Tuesday:

Charms (Hufflepuffs)

Transfiguration (Gryffindors)

Lunch

History of Magic (Gryffindor)

Afternoon free

Dinner

Wednesday:

Defense Against the Dark Arts (Slytherins)

Herbology (Hufflepuff)

Lunch

Astronomy (Slytherin)

Afternoon free

Dinner

Thursday:

Transfiguration (Gryffindor)

History of Magic (Gryffindor)

Lunch

Herbology (Hufflepuff)

Afternoon free

Dinner

Friday:

Potions (Slytherins)

Potions (Slytherins)

Lunch

Afternoon free

Afternoon free

Dinner

_Well, we have a lot of afternoons free, probably to do homework then. _She quietly finished off her meal and then looked around her. The rest of the first year Ravenclaw's were still finishing up their food and chatting, the two students to the right of Alice started to make out and she thought _well there's nothing like being on time and prepared. _She got up from the table, stole a look out of the corner of her eye towards everyone else and then departed from the table and the Great Hall, was about to hang a right towards the staircases when all of a sudden out of nowhere she was jumped. She pulled out her wand ready to face her attackers, a little bit astonished who had attacked her. She looked around and then registered Regulus and Megara. "What?" she said, still a little anxious and her wand slightly shaking, and somewhat confused.

They paused for a second and then Regulus said, "You know you can lower your wand right?"

"What?" she said and then looked down to realize she was still pointing her wand at them, "oh, okay" then she tucked it back inside her robes.

"So ….," Said Regulus, "You got into Ravenclaw then?"

Alice looked down at her tie and then back at the two of them, "yeah, I guess, I suppose I did."

Then Regulus looked over at Megara and she rolled her eyes and handed him two galleons. "Told you" he added quietly.

Then she spun to face him, "You know what….." she paused then she looked as if she was going to throttle him, "never mind."

"Never mind?" he questioned

"Yes never mind." Then she turned to face Alice, "What's your schedule?"

Alice had gotten a little caught up in their argument and then looked down at the little slip of parchment in her hands "Well today I have Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slytherins, then Charms and Herbology with the Hufflepuffs" She said and then looked down at her schedule and back up at them.

"That's not too bad a Monday, hell they took it easy on you." Said Megara, "My first year I had double History of Magic and then Astronomy at midnight with this horrible little kid who used to annoy me incessantly."

"Well I wasn't too bad now was I?"

"Well, um, I have to go get packed and all, but, I'll see you guys later okay?" said Alice.

"Sure"

"Of course" they replied, and Alice trotted off towards the common room, careful to remember the sinking step. She reached the spiral staircase leading up to Ravenclaw common room and groaned. There sat the bronze eagle knocker. "bollucks"

"Samuel was out for a walk when it started to rain. He did not have an umbrella and he wasn't wearing a hat. His clothes were soaked, yet not a single hair on his head got wet. How could this happen?"

"I have no idea," the knocker did nothing, "Um wait." Not a single hair on his head, he wasn't carrying anything with him. Maybe he was under an awning or something. No, it's something else something else. She banged her head on the door. She didn't know, _maybe there's a difference between witty, smart, and something else maybe smart mouthed, I don't know. I don't belong here, _"I'm not cut out for Ravenclaw"

"Try the riddle once again. It started to rain, his clothes were soaked, yet not a single hair on his head was wet, why?"

"I don't know."

"Try" urged the Eagle

"Um, well let's see, it was raining, he still got soaked, yet he wasn't carrying anything to prevent rainfall and anyways if his clothes were wet that means that he probably got wet from head to toe so, I don't know, I guess he'd have to be bald" she rambled

"Correct, nice thought process"

"Thank you, but aren't you suppose to give me the boot until someone else comes along and solves it instead of trying to help me out." The eagle did not answer her back but instead turned dead solid, waiting for the next student to approach it. "Fine" she said and then walked through. She passed the common room and took a right to the girls dormitories and walked up a narrow staircase until she got to the dorm that was labeled 1st years and entered. Everyone was there packing up and getting ready for their classes. Alice made her way quietly to her bed and pulled out her backpack from her trunk.

"You didn't show up for breakfast." stated Murphy, her arms crossed over her upper bunk, her two braids leaning over the edge.

"I did, but there weren't any spots left, so I just sat alone." Alice spoke without inflection, keeping her eyes on her bag.

"Oh, are you packing up for Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Yes." and with that she grabbed, Defense: A wizards guide to protection by Martinus Atrox, and inserted it into her bag. Also she grabbed in case it was needed, Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling, a Standard Book of Spells grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk, and all of the rest of her books for the day. She swung the brown pack over her shoulder, "Do you want to go with me," she said "I'm not quite sure where it is and two heads are better than one."

Then Murphy looked back down at her and looked like she was about to agree before her eyes darted over to somewhere else in the room and she turned back towards Alice with a different look in her eyes, "Oh, that's okay, you don't have to wait for me. Go on ahead." And Murphy sunk back down into her bunk.

Alice looked forward knowing that someone else in the room had probably also taken grudge with her. "Fine" then she turned towards the door and walked away without looking at anyone. She walked down the steps again, alone. Once she reached ground floor she turned, after awhile, and after close inspection of instructions on how to get to the classroom, Alice went down a long corridor and then up a flight of stairs.

She was the first person there for the class, though it only took a second for the rest of the class to join in including Murphy and everyone, as well as the Slytherins. Amina Arcas, Barty Crouch Junior, and Alexandra Nott included. _Well this should be one hell of a lesson, _she thought before the doors were opened.


	9. Professor Mortis

Disclaimer: …….etc. etc. you know.

I would love to thank the hp lexicon again, in which has been indispensible to this fic and most notably this chapter. Also guys, I changed Alexandra's brother's name from Matthew to Adam, it fits his characters better, and it also seems like a name that would fit Alexandra's brother. Second, not all of Alice's family is in Gryffindor anymore. I'm changing her mom to a Ravenclaw, which is really obviously the right fit, especially since I've chosen to name her Athena, to fit the Lupin naming scheme. So Alice's and Remus's parents are named John and Athena Lupin. In my head, John is a Gryffindor; dedicated, hardworking, loyal, and concrete in his beliefs and a little mischievous, if a little hard on people sometimes, and with expectations of them. Athena is calm, cool, pretty, intelligent, and wise, but she also can miss some things or overlook certain things that matter, though she is a pretty decent and good mum. Remember Remus missing breakfast, because it's going to come up again. Thanks for bearing with me through the wait for this chapter, but believe it or not, it is slightly important. Not in the overall plot, but in setting some things up. Once again thank you, and if you see anything you like or don't please let me know, I'll even take flames. Another note, the Defense teacher is based somewhat off of my Latin teacher, who is amazing.

A thin gangly man with dark blonde/brown hair and brown eyes, who had the overall look of nerdy Professor to him, opened the door. He seemed like a strange man, he had wire thin rectangular glasses, a slight but muscular build, sweater vest, and a look of academic delight in his face as he beamed at the students and ushered them into the class. Before the students could sit down in seats he had them line up against the wall with their book bags. "Everybody, please line up against the wall for a minute." Nobody made to move and stared at the desks and their friends. He frowned slightly then addressed them again, "As soon as possible would be best, although I'm in no hurry" he said mockingly. They all lined up, if even somewhat grudgingly. He counted and then turning towards the desk with a wave of his wand he lined all of the desks into groups of three facing the front. The students looked on at the use of magic with either awe, interest, or a vague acknowledgement. Some looked bored as though they had found their teachers lack of command off-putting. He stood at his desk then picked up a few papers from his desk, and looked over at the group.

"To clue everyone in, I'm not going to let you all pick you're seats." He kept standing and ignored the looks and reactions from the students. He instead picked up a mug of coffee and sipped, before looking back to his students. "All done? I'm sorry, but my class is not a democracy, it's more like a dictatorship, and actually I'm not sorry. Well, … no I'm not, oh well first group up." Then he looked back down at his list. "And I don't care if you're near your friends, there will be no switching seats, these seats will be yours throughout the entire year. Deal with it. Okay, first group" then his small, slight, and speedy eyes scanned the sheet of paper. The he talked in a loud voice, "At table number one, front row, to the left, we have …" Then he paused for suspense and looked around at the students in a moment of suspense, then back down at the bit of parchment. "Murphy Chapman, David Bellum, and Margret Brooks." They moved forward towards the table, but were halted by the Professor. "One moment," he stopped them, "First, I forgot, before anyone takes a seat I'd like you to turn to the class and state what House you are in, your name, just so we can all get acquainted, and …. Let's see, what's your favorite animal." The students eyed him with a bit of caution and then, he nodded towards the first group of three. "Miss Brooks, why don't you go first."

A tiny little cute girl with curly brown hair with shiny brown eyes walked forward. Her uniform was clean and ironed, looking tailored to her, green and silver tie delicately yet slightly askewly tied. She was smiling shyly and looked around at everybody slightly embarrassed and then down at her feet. "Well," she said in a quiet voice, "my name is Margret Brooks, I'm in Slytherin House, and I guess my favorite animals are …." Then she paused and folded her arms together and rested one finger tip against her chin, "Bowtruckles" and she smiled.

"Thank you Miss Brooks. Now, Mr. Bellum, you're up to bat." Said the professor.

He was slightly stocky with an air of confusion yet confidence about him. It was clear he thought these questions were completely and utterly stupid and pointless, and that he was only going along with this because he had to. "David Bellum, Slytherin, and uh … manticores I guess."

"Thank you Mr. Bellum for that enthusiastic informative report. Now, Miss Chapman, last of the three, but certainly not least, your turn." Then he waited patiently.

Murphy just paused for a minute then crossed her arms, red braids hanging on her shoulders, and sea eyes and freckled face staring off into the distance then she said finally, "Well I guess, I'm Murphy Chapman, I'm a Ravenclaw, but that's obvious by the tie, and I'd have to say my favorite animal's are abraxans (big winged palamino horses), my aunt has a nice little place out in the country kind of farm land land she lets us ride them sometimes and they're just so pretty and nice" Finished Murphy enthusiastically.

The Professor smiled. "Thank you Miss Chapman, the three of you may head to your seats, though you still have to listen to the rest of the class themselves. How about we have the rest of the class perform up front, near my desk?" The question was obviously rhetorical. "Right, next up facing the terrifying slaughter we have …… ah yes, let's have Mr. Mentes, Ms. Corpus, and Mr. Castillis, take your places table two, same questions. You three are also in the first row, in the middle, yes Ms. Corpus right in front of my desk." And the three of them lined up with their supplies. "and Ms. Corpus since you so graciously volunteered let's take you up on that offer and go first.

Demetor huffed a bit then folded her arms, flicked her head to the side blowing her long straight black hair back, and looked away from the rest of the class and said, "My name is Demetor Corpus, I'm a Ravenclaw, and my favorite animal is a Thestral."

The professor looked surprised at her answer and then called on Mr. Mentes, who looked open to the class, yet very contemplative, especially for an eleven year old. He always had this air of maturity about him, even with his white blonde precise down to his ears hair, and navy eyes. Then he finally turned to the group and looked at them, seemingly having made up his mind. "I would have to say that my favorite animal is an augurey, the Irish phoenix, I guess I just like them." The professor nodded for him to continue. "As you can tell I'm a Ravenclaw, and my name is Jason Mentes." An understanding seemed to pass that he was done and the professor instructed them to take their seats.

"Now since we've had an all Ravenclaw table let's balance things out and have an all Slytherin table." He took another sip from his coffee and then placed it down on the desk before rolling his eyes over the list and then saying, "Ms. Nott, Mr. Crouch Junior, and …….." he kept browsing the list, "Ms. Arcas". The three students approached the front with a look of resigned boredom on their faces yet apparently smugly happy to be placed with fellow Slytherins whom they approved of. They were silent and eyed the professor, sizing him up in a way. The silence continued. "Well?" asked the professor, "You can get it over with or we can stand here for the whole class and continue next time?" he left it hanging but it was clear he was not amused.

"We're all Slytherins naturally, he's Barty Crouch Junior, she's Amina Arcas, and I'm Alexandra Nott."

"Thank you Alexandra, but we can take care of it from here." Said Barty, and Amina looked appraisingly at him. Alice glared at him suspiciously and with an air of dislike. She looked over at Nick and Murphy who although she thought hadn't gotten the cream of the crop, had at least got decent partners and they seemed to be setting up their stations but still glancing back at the students like Alice, though apparently without the air of dislike. Instead they seemed just to enjoy and take the exchange at face value. Alice checked herself and tried to back press and toss aside her preconceived prejudice, and looked down at her feet slightly embarrassed. She looked once more at Alexandra who seemed unperterbed by his words. Alice looked over at Alexandra's brother Adam, who seemed calm and much like Alexandra himself, except with a slight look in his eyes that she couldn't quite place. Then she looked over at William Hawes, who seemed to be paying attention to Amina and Barty as they listed an ashwinder (Amina), and el chupacabra (Barty, jokingly, to some amusement of the class, playing mr. smooth) as their favorite animals. She looked over the awkward Ravenclaw, and hoped that she could get him as a partner. He seemed smart, intelligent, and easy to get along with and work with. Definitely a valuable and friendly work partner, besides, she had to admit in all his geeky, awkward, ways, he seemed a pretty decent fellow underneath. Alexandra, Amina, and Barty sat down in the front, to the right, filling up the front row, and all of the places in front of the professor's desk.

"Now since we seem to have split the groups up, let's do so once more. A guys table." His eyes fell back to the list, and he leaned on the side of his desk, considering options. "Mr.'s Everard, Graves, and Hawes. Take a stand up front."

"William Hawes," he pushed his glasses up and kept looking from the floor back towards the rest of the class. "Ravenclaw, and I would have to say that for a favorite animal, a cockatrice is an interesting species that I have been interested in awhile and researching, but I hardly know if it is my favorite." He finished and then looked up for the Professors reaction.

"A fine choice, now, let's have Mr. Everard speak."

A medium tall boy with a thin frame, came forward, he was slightly crouched over and looking like he'd take on scoliosis prematurely, more books than needed under his arms. His face reminded Alice's of a bird's and his eyes we're tiny and scanning everything before him, in a curious nature. "Phemius Everard, Slytherin, favorite animal; Demiguise"

The professor smiled slightly, clearly showing approval at the mention of the ape like creature with long silky hair and peaceful nature, not to mention the fact that the animal's silky hair was used to make invisibility cloaks, a fact which he shared with the class, before moving onto Mr. Graves.

August Graves was a tiny, shrimpy looking kid with mousy hair and black beady eyes, he looked like he was off somewhere else, before he calmly looked at the professor before saying, "I am a Ravenclaw, August Graves, and I'm picking the Diricrawl." The three boys sat down in the left table on the second row behind Murphy, David, and Margret.

"Miss McCormack, Mr. Nott, Miss Lupin, front and center." said the professor, who was still leaning against his desk. "Mr. Nott I presume you are related to Ms. Nott."

Mr. Nott nodded in the affirmative. Alexandra seemed to not be paying attention. The professor looked at him in a way that clearly stated for him to start. Adam looked distant from everybody, not bored, just …. Alice wasn't sure, but she dearly wished she could put her finger on Mr. Nott as he began to speak. "Hello, my name is Adam Nott, I am in Slytherin house, though you could have guessed that by my tie," the professor smiled wryly, "my favorite animal, I would have to say is a gytrash." Alice looked over at him somewhat surprised and affirmatively, he caught her look and just stared at her before facing the class again.

"Miss McCormack, if you please,"

"My name," said Penelope, her long, long brown hair braided behind her back, arms folded behind her back as well. "is Penelope McCormack, my favorite animal is the hippocampus sir."

"There are no sir's here, but professor with do. Thank you Miss McCormack, now Miss Lupin, I believe you've yet to go." The professor said.

"Well, …" said Alice thinking, "Animals are tricky and there are so many of them, but I guess the Kneazles." She said and then looked around at everybody, and almost everybody was looking up at her. "Oh, and I'm a Ravenclaw." More silence followed by "… and I'm Alice, Alice Lupin." They seemed satisfied enough.

"Miss Lupin, your brother wouldn't happen to be a Mr. Remus Lupin would he?"

Alice eyed Professor Mortis suspiciously before saying, "yes, he is." Then the professor quietly nodded and got on with assigning tables. He then placed the girl's table consisting of Samantha Macalister (Ravenclaw), Amy Pellyn (Slytherin), and Eudora Graves (Slytherin and indeed a relation of Mr. Graves), behind Amina, Barty, and Alexandra on the right, this girls table filling up the second row. Only two students were left; Kurt Lamport (Ravenclaw) and Barnabas Sweet (Slytherin). The two left seemed to complement each other, both with their quiet ways, yet Barnabas seemed more creative, while Kurt seemed more analytical. They choose the table in the third row, near the windows, on the right, it seemed to suit them. The Professor, who charmed a piece of chalk to write his name on the board (Professor Mortis), and told them of their first homework assignment; to research everyone's favorite animal and to write a short paper detailing each animal's particulars and characteristics., and it was due in three weeks while they researched. Thankfully it was a group project. Alice couldn't believe it, homework on the first day, not that she minded too much, she was more worried at the prospect of having to write a paper with two other people. Though Professor Mortis told the class that if they were having trouble that he could help them out. He actually seemed, despite the greeting to be a very funny and nice person. He even offered a study session with everyone and wrote all of the animals on the board for everyone to copy. The class did spend a brief period going over the rules of the class, which seemed pretty fair and despite Professor Mortis' earlier sentiments on the democracy of his class, it seemed like the most democratic class she had ever seen. The rest of the class they listened to the Professor talk about his family and one time him and his brother stumbled upon a batch of grindylows when they were nine. Then the class played magical creature hang man since Professor Mortis was surprised at the first year's knowledge of magical animals. Alice even managed to guess two correct, hinkypunks and werewolves, but her table team was astronomically beat, in fact everyone was by the table in the third row on the right. Kurt and Barnabas were immediately inserted into everyone's brains as the go-to tutors. In fact the day was going so well when the class finally ended that Alice almost felt like skipping out, quite a contrast to the day so far. That is before she was caught with a leg locker curse from behind. She knew who she'd be paying back the compliment to. It was there by the side of the hall trying to figure out how to reverse it when she heard something of interest. Two Gryffindor girls were talking about a prank someone pulled on Severus Snape, who's nose grew like the character Pinocchio's every time he had done well in his Potion's class this morning. She was surprised at one name in particular she heard, that had been listed in a possible suspects list.

"Remus?"


End file.
